The Official Guys Guide to Packing – 3 Weeks Abroad

Packing for your trip abroad can be a harrowing experience for some. Pulling your hair out as you imagine all of the different scenarios that may come about, just knowing (KNOWING!) that there is something you’re not thinking of. Something that is going to ruin your trip because you didn’t bring everything you needed. Well my friend, fear not! I have the OFFICIAL packing list that will tell you everything you need for a 3 week trip abroad.

I say official because I know this works. 3 weeks in SE Asia, from the 30° mountains in Sapa to the 90° beaches in Koh Phi Phi, and I never felt that I needed something I didn’t have. Maybe you’re doing a backpacking trip in Europe, or even hiking to Machu Picchu, this packing list will work for you, guaranteed.

Jacket x1 – Rain proof ideally, and will be a good shell over your fleece on a cold day

Vest x1 – I chose a light one

Jeans/Pants x2 – Again, comfort is key!

Shorts x2 – For walking around the city

Swim Suit x3 – You can’t wear the same swim suit to the same beach twice in a row!

Underwear x7 – Change your undies every day, please, PLEASE

Socks x7 – And your socks too

Tennis Shoes x1 – Wear these on the flight, make sure you’re comfortable walking around for a full day in them

Sandals x1 – Pack these in your bag, absolutely necessary for days on the beach

That’s it for clothes! Seriously, that wasn’t so hard, was it? But you’re going to need more than clothes on this trip. If you’re like me, you are going to want to capture all of the great moments on your trip and preserve those for a lifetime. Also, trans-ocean flights can be LONG, better make sure you have some entertainment along.

Official Packing List – Everything Else

GoPro x1 – GoPro is a necessity due to its waterproof case, we use it for any adventures where our things might get wet – paddle boarding, snorkeling, swimming, you get the picture

GoPro Accessories x1 – You can’t just bring the GoPro, you need to mount it! We have a floating handle, a chest mount, and a head mount to capture the moments

Drone x1 – We LOVE our Spark. It is the smallest one DJI sells, so it fits extremely easily into any backpack. That makes it good for packing for your trip, and for packing for day-to-day excursions. Also, this baby gets us footage we would NEVER be able to get without it

Kindle x1 – I choose reading for entertainment. If you wanted to bring an iPad with some movies instead, or just download some podcasts on your phone, be my guest! If reading is your thing, I recommend a kindle, I read 3 books on the trip and those books would take up precious packing space!

Selfie Stick x1 – I do not love asking people to take pics for us, and it can be especially hard in another language! Selfie stick makes all that awkward situation disappear, and you are able to get the exact shot you want

Small Backpack x1 – This might seem counterintuitive, packing a backpack inside another backpack? We NEED to bring things on day-to-day excursion, and don’t want to be lugging around our big bags, so we pack a very small bag that is perfect for fitting excursion items (drone, GoPro, etc)

Travel Pillow – ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. I do not vibe with the free airplane pillows, and in many situations (layover, delay, etc) you will not even have that pillow as an option. If I were you, I’d splurge and get the most comfortable one you can find.There are many to choose from, find what’s right for you.

Now, some of this may seem excessive and unnecessary for your trip, and that is beautiful! If you don’t want to bring a GoPro and accessories, but want to bring your laptop instead, then do it! I was able to pack ALL OF THESE THINGS in 1 bag that I carried on to all of the flights. You do need a pretty awesome bag to be able to fit all of this potpourri of items and still squeeze into the overhead bin, here’s the one we chose.

The Bag

Our favorite large travel backpack is the Osprey 65 Duffel. We fit SO MUCH in there, the thing just keeps on going and just won’t quit! The main area is HUGE, so you can be super flexible about what you’re packing. This will work for everything from a Caribbean beach vacation to a Colorado ski trip, and everything in between.

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